Apparatus and methods for coating landscaping materials and particulate ground cover materials are known. Winistorfer et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,551,401, shows and describes a machine for coloring landscaping materials, such as wood mulch and the like. The apparatus in Winistorfer patent may be used for continuous mixing of the colorant with the mulch material within a multistage mixing bowl. The disclosure in this prior patent is incorporated herein by reference.
Greenberg et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,910,514, describes a colored rubber material formed to simulate wood mulch.
Rondy U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,587 describes the use of a continuous auger screw within an angled trough for applying colorant to mulch materials. Other apparatus and methods are known for coating of materials, including wood and rubber particulate material. Various methods may be performed as a continuous process or on a batch basis.
The modification of landscape materials is even more important when it comes to the functional modification of landscape materials because landscape materials as particulate ground cover materials may be used for improving water retention of the soil and can help to maintain, improve or even restore the fertility of soil thereby contributing to better plant growth and higher crop yields. Accordingly, there is continued interest in improved methods for providing functional treatments of landscape materials.
One important aspect for functional modification of landscape materials is the exact and consistent application of functional materials to landscape materials. It is especially difficult to apply the functional material as uniform as possible to the landscape material. Therefore, improved processes that allow more uniform functional treatment of landscape material would be of great benefit in the field of coating landscape materials.